ZEN BUDDHISM

History of Zen Buddhism

Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism.
It emerged as a distinctive school of Mahayana Buddhism about 15 centuries ago.
Zen is called “Ch’an” Buddhism in China, and it refers to a mind absorbed in meditation.
“Zen” is Japanese.
It can be translated as “Meditation Buddhism” in any language.
Sometimes it is called “the face-to-face transmission of the dharma outside the sutras.”
By interacting face-to-face, teachers have passed on their realization of dharma to students.
According to Bodhidharma’s definition, Zen is not an intellectual discipline that can be learned from books, it can be learnened thorough practice of studying mind and seeing into one’s nature.

Symbol for Zen

Zen in Japan

Japanese monks during Zen meditation

The Japanese tea ceremony

There are various meanings of Zen, including literal, sitting meditation, connotation, and meditation.
To be a Zen person, one should have both wisdom and compassion.
Methods of Zen practices are “just sitting” and kōan.
Kōan is similar to riddles which have illogical answers.
For example, "When two hands clap and make a sound, what is the sound of one hand?"

Korean Zen ink painting

Chinese Buddhist monks

Zen is the most widely known Buddhism school in America.
Since the latter half of the 20th century, its concepts influenced western society.
Within the last century, Zen groups have spread in North America and Europe.
Zen (Japanese) and Ch’an (Chinese) derive from the Sanskrit word Dhyana, which means “meditation.”
Zen Buddhism focuses on obtaining enlightenment (bodhi) through meditation.
Zen rejects the study of scriptures, religious rites, religious practices, and good works in order to overcome ignorance.